Community Guidelines

Last Updated: October 21, 2025

Effective Date: October 21, 2025

CRITICAL DISCLAIMER: This Service is operated by a single individual with NO professional moderation team, NO content review staff, and NO 24/7 monitoring capability. These guidelines represent aspirational community standards. However, enforcement is strictly limited to automated systems and user-initiated reports. The operator assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY for user conduct, content, or interactions. Users must protect themselves.

Content Moderation Standards & Response Commitment

The operator strives to review critical safety reports within 24 hours of submission where technically feasible. For purposes of this commitment:

"Critical safety reports" include: imminent threats of violence, child safety concerns, and emergency situations requiring immediate attention
"Review" means initial assessment and triage, which may include automated processing, preliminary evaluation, or forwarding to appropriate authorities
"Where technically feasible" recognizes operational limitations including but not limited to: service outages, force majeure events, volume spikes exceeding reasonable capacity, and periods of operator unavailability

The operator employs commercially reasonable efforts to maintain this response standard through a combination of automated systems and periodic manual review. However, users acknowledge that as a single-operator service, response capabilities are inherently limited and this commitment represents an aspirational target rather than a guaranteed service level.

Note: Non-critical reports and general inquiries may experience longer response times. Users requiring immediate assistance should contact local emergency services.

Data Retention Note: Report metadata and associated user identifiers may be retained for up to 24 hours to enable effective review cycles. This retention period balances user safety needs with privacy-by-design principles.

ADULT-ONLY SERVICE (18+ STRICT REQUIREMENT): This Service is exclusively for individuals who are at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, whichever is higher. Users under 18 are strictly prohibited under any circumstances. By accessing this Service, you represent, warrant, and covenant that you meet this age requirement.

1. Introduction and Purpose

These Community Guidelines ("Guidelines") establish behavioral expectations for users of Ping&Wink ("Service," "Application"). These Guidelines supplement and are incorporated into our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, both of which are legally binding.

Legal Status: These Guidelines do not create additional legal obligations beyond those established in the Terms of Service. They are provided for informational purposes to help users understand expected conduct. However, violations may result in enforcement actions as described in the Terms of Service.

Enforcement Limitations: Users acknowledge and agree that:

The operator has no obligation to enforce these Guidelines
Enforcement actions are discretionary and may be inconsistent
Reports may not be reviewed or acted upon
Response times are not guaranteed and may range from hours to never
The primary enforcement mechanism is user-initiated blocking and reporting

2. Core Principles

2.1 User Responsibility

Users bear sole and exclusive responsibility for:

Their own safety and well-being while using the Service
Decisions regarding which users to interact with
Content they choose to view or engage with
Protection of their personal information and privacy
Compliance with applicable laws in their jurisdiction
Consequences of their interactions with other users

2.2 Community Self-Moderation

The Service operates on a self-moderation model where:

Users are expected to police their own experiences using available tools
The ban feature is the primary protection mechanism
Users should immediately block anyone who violates Guidelines or makes them uncomfortable
Community members collectively determine acceptable behavior through their blocking decisions

2.3 Temporary Nature

All content and interactions are temporary by design:

Emotional state posts ("vibes") expire after 24 hours
Chat sessions last maximum 9 minutes
No permanent records are maintained
Nothing is guaranteed to be preserved or recoverable
Retention periods are subject to technical and operational requirements but do not exceed stated maximums

3. Acceptable Conduct

3.1 Expected Behavior

Users are encouraged to:

Treat other users with basic courtesy and respect
Maintain conversations appropriate for an adult audience
Respect boundaries when others indicate discomfort
Use blocking features liberally to curate their experience
Report serious violations of Terms of Service
Exercise good judgment in all interactions

3.2 Personal Safety Practices

Users should:

Never share personal identifying information (names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, social media profiles)
Never share financial information or credentials
Never agree to meet users in person (strongly discouraged)
Never share photographs, videos, or other media
Trust their instincts and immediately block suspicious users
Assume all information shared can be screenshotted or saved by others

Safety Disclaimer: These are recommendations only. The operator provides no guarantee of user safety and assumes no liability for user decisions regarding information sharing, in-person meetings, or other risk-taking behavior. Users who choose to disregard safety recommendations do so entirely at their own risk.

4. Prohibited Conduct

IMPORTANT: While the following behaviors are prohibited, the operator CANNOT and DOES NOT actively monitor or enforce these prohibitions. Users must protect themselves by immediately blocking violators. The operator assumes no liability for prohibited conduct by other users.

4.1 Strictly Prohibited Behavior

The following conduct is prohibited and may result in immediate permanent ban if detected:

Illegal Activity:

Solicitation or facilitation of illegal activities
Drug dealing or promotion of illegal substances
Fraud, theft, or financial crimes
Human trafficking or exploitation
Distribution of illegal content

Harmful Content:

Threats of violence or physical harm
Harassment, stalking, or persistent unwanted contact
Hate speech or content promoting violence against protected groups
Sexual harassment or unsolicited sexual content
Graphic violence or disturbing content
Content promoting self-harm or suicide

Privacy Violations:

Sharing personal information about other users without consent ("doxxing")
Impersonation of other individuals or entities
Attempts to extract personal information from other users
Sharing screenshots of conversations without consent (legal in many jurisdictions but prohibited by these Guidelines)

Service Abuse:

Creating multiple accounts to evade bans
Using automated systems, bots, or scripts
Attempting to exploit technical vulnerabilities
Spam, commercial solicitation, or advertising
Misuse of reporting or blocking features

4.2 User Response to Violations

When encountering prohibited conduct:

Immediately block the user (primary defense mechanism)
Report the violation using in-app reporting (no guarantee of review)
Exit the interaction without engaging further
Contact law enforcement if the conduct constitutes a crime
Document evidence (screenshots) if pursuing legal action

Critical Limitation: Do NOT rely on the operator to address violations or protect your safety. The operator may not review reports, may not take action, and may not respond to communications. The block button is your primary protection. For criminal conduct, contact local law enforcement, not the operator.

5. Enforcement Mechanisms

5.1 Automated Ban System

The Service implements an automated ban system with the following characteristics:

Trigger Event	Automatic Consequence	Duration
User receives ban from another user	Temporary restriction from Service	20 minutes minimum
User receives multiple bans	Progressively longer restrictions	Escalating (algorithm-determined)
User issues excessive bans	Auto-restriction for ban abuse	Algorithm-determined
Multiple reports received	Possible automatic extended ban	Algorithm-determined

5.2 Reporting System

Users may report violations through in-app reporting features. However:

Reports are placed in an automated queue
NO guarantee of human review
NO guarantee of action or response
NO notification of outcomes
Reports may be deleted without review after a certain period
Reporter identity is not disclosed to reported users

5.3 Manual Enforcement (Rare)

In rare cases, the operator may manually review reports and take enforcement action, which may include:

Temporary suspension (hours to days)
Permanent ban from Service
Referral to law enforcement (serious violations only)

Manual Review Limitations:

Manual review is discretionary and unpredictable
Response times may range from days to never
No appeals process for enforcement decisions
Enforcement decisions are final
The operator has no obligation to provide reasons for enforcement actions

6. Ban Appeal Process

No Formal Appeals: There is no formal appeals process for bans or restrictions. Users may contact hello@pingandwink.com to request review, but:

Responses are not guaranteed
Review is at sole discretion of operator
Most appeals will not result in ban reversal
Temporary bans expire automatically and do not require appeals

7. Emergency Situations

EMERGENCY PROTOCOL: The operator CANNOT provide assistance in emergency situations. Do NOT rely on the operator for urgent help.

7.1 Immediate Danger

If you are in immediate physical danger:

Call local emergency services immediately (112 in Europe, 911 in US, etc.)
Do NOT wait for operator response
Do NOT rely on in-app reporting for emergencies
Contact local law enforcement, not the operator

7.2 Criminal Activity

If you witness or are victim of criminal activity through the Service:

Report to local law enforcement as primary action
Document evidence (screenshots, user identifiers)
File criminal complaint with appropriate authorities
You may also report to operator at hello@pingandwink.com, but do not expect timely response

7.3 Mental Health Crises

If you or someone you're interacting with expresses suicidal ideation or self-harm intentions:

International: Visit findahelpline.com for local crisis resources
US: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
US: Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Europe: Contact local crisis services (vary by country)
Do NOT rely on the operator to intervene in mental health crises

8. Content Moderation Limitations

8.1 What We Do NOT Do

Users must understand the following limitations:

NO proactive monitoring of conversations or content
NO screening of users before they access the Service
NO background checks or identity verification
NO real-time intervention in problematic interactions
NO guarantee that reported users will be banned
NO guarantee that banned users cannot return
NO customer service team standing by

8.2 Technical Limitations

Automated content filtering may not catch all violations
Users can circumvent filters through creative spelling or coded language
Temporary bans expire, allowing users to return
Determined users can create new accounts after permanent bans
Location-based features may not accurately represent physical proximity

9. User Obligations

9.1 Legal Compliance

Users are solely responsible for:

Complying with all applicable laws in their jurisdiction
Understanding that laws vary by location
Determining whether their conduct violates local laws
Accepting legal consequences for their actions
Understanding that the operator is not their legal advisor

9.2 Platform Integrity

Users must not:

Attempt to reverse engineer or decompile the Application
Interfere with Service operations or infrastructure
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems
Abuse reporting or blocking systems
Coordinate group harassment or targeted campaigns against users

10. Data and Privacy Considerations

10.1 User-Generated Content

Users acknowledge that:

All content is automatically deleted per retention schedules
Content may be screenshotted by other users before deletion
Deleted content may persist in backups temporarily
The operator cannot retrieve or restore deleted content
Other users may save or distribute content outside the Service

10.2 Screenshot Policy

While the Service cannot technically prevent screenshots:

Sharing screenshots of private conversations without consent is prohibited by these Guidelines
However, enforcement is practically impossible
Users should assume anything they write may be screenshotted
Legal remedies for unauthorized screenshot distribution vary by jurisdiction

11. Limitation of Operator Liability

COMPREHENSIVE LIABILITY WAIVER: By using this Service, you acknowledge and agree that:

The operator provides no guarantee of user safety
The operator cannot prevent prohibited conduct by users
The operator assumes no responsibility for user interactions or content
The operator cannot ensure Guidelines are followed or enforced
You use the Service entirely at your own risk
Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction is to stop using the Service
All liability limitations in the Terms of Service apply to these Guidelines

12. Modifications to Guidelines

The operator reserves the right to modify these Guidelines at any time without notice. Modifications are effective immediately upon posting. Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of modified Guidelines.

Users are responsible for periodically reviewing these Guidelines. The operator has no obligation to provide notice of changes.

13. Relationship to Terms of Service

These Guidelines supplement but do not supersede the Terms of Service. In case of conflict between these Guidelines and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service control. Users must comply with both documents.

Violations of these Guidelines constitute violations of the Terms of Service and may result in enforcement actions as described in the Terms of Service, including account termination.

14. Contact and Reporting

Support Contacts:

General Inquiries: hello@pingandwink.com
Guideline Violations: Use in-app reporting feature
Urgent Safety Issues: Contact local law enforcement first
Legal Matters: pingandwink@gmail.com

Expected Response Times: 48-72 hours for non-urgent matters, if at all. No response time guaranteed. Urgent matters should be directed to appropriate local authorities, not the operator.

15. Final Acknowledgments

BY USING THIS SERVICE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

You have read and understood these Community Guidelines
You understand this Service has extremely limited moderation
You understand the operator cannot and does not guarantee your safety
You accept sole responsibility for your interactions and decisions
You will immediately block and report users who violate Guidelines
You will not rely on the operator for emergency assistance
You understand the operator assumes no liability for user conduct
You waive all claims against the operator arising from user behavior to the maximum extent permitted by law

Reality Statement: This Service is operated by one person as an independent project. There is no moderation team, no 24/7 monitoring, no customer service department, and no guarantee of safety. Users are expected to be adults who can protect themselves using the provided tools. If you need a heavily moderated, supervised service with guaranteed safety, this is not the right service for you.